Government Spends MVR 42 Million Over Approved Amount on Travel Budget
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu (R) shaking hands with Speaker of the Parliament Abdul Raheem Abdulla before departing for China on August 29, 2025 | Photo: President’s Office
The government’s spending on travel exceeded the approved budget last year by MVR 42 million, according to figures released by the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
Travelling expenses were approved at MVR 249.1 million in the national budget, but reached MVR 291.1 million by 31 December 2025, representing an overspend of MVR 42 million. This marks an increase of MVR 11.1 million compared with the MVR 280 million spent on travel in 2024.
advertisement
In other areas, government spending on police operations also surged. MVR 84.7 million was spent in 2025, compared with MVR 21.6 million in the previous year. The approved allocation for the police was only MVR 46.1 million, meaning actual spending exceeded the budget by MVR 38.6 million.
Meanwhile, grant receipts fell sharply. Of the MVR 2.6 billion approved to be received through grants, only MVR 415.2 million was received last year, down from MVR 676.2 million in 2024.
The figures highlight rising pressures on government spending alongside a shortfall in expected external funding, according to the Ministry of Finance and Planning.
